Published: Wednesday 25th August 2021
Bonded By Blood
To register to donate blood and attend the Bonded by Blood: A Mothers Story blood donation sessions, individuals should call the priority booking line on 0300 303 2805. Alternatively CLICK HERE where people can visit and complete the pre-booking form.
Today, a nationwide blood donation campaign entitled ‘Bonded by Blood: A Mothers Story’ will launch in memory of sickle cell patient Richard Okorogheye.
Backed by mother of Richard, Evidence Joel and created by a group of Black health charities including ACLT (African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust), and community organisations Unsickle My Cells (CIC) and SickleKan, with support from NHS Blood and Transplant.
The campaign will focus on amplifying the need for more blood donors of Black heritage to step forward, during two important dates in the Black British calendar, World Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Black History Month, encouraging Black people to book a blood donation appointment at a series of special sessions held over three consecutive weekends between 26th September – 10th October 2021.
Bonded by Blood: A Mother’s Story will centre around encouraging new and current blood donors of Black heritage to donate in memory of Richard, the 19-year-old who was living with sickle cell and who went missing from his home in Ladbroke Grove in March of this year. Tragically, Richard’s body was found 20 miles away in Epping Forest, Essex, two weeks after he was reported missing.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Richard had been shielding due to living with sickle cell disorder. As someone who regularly received regular blood transfusions his story is one which rocked the British Black community, with many individuals from the sickle cell community voicing their sadness of how Richard story had, an effect on them.
The campaign will share the stories of mothers with children who receive regular blood transfusions as well as stories from mothers whose children were blood recipients but have sadly passed away.
Richard’s Story
On March 22nd, 19-year-old Richard Okorogheye, went missing from his home in Ladbroke Grove.
Two weeks later, Richard’s body was found 20 miles away in Epping Forest, Essex.
Richard had been shielding throughout the coronavirus pandemic because he had sickle cell disease. He was a regular recipient of blood transfusions and only left the house during the pandemic to visit the hospital to receive blood transfusions.
Richard’s mother Evidence Joel said:
“Blood donation campaigns like Bonded by Blood are incredibly important to encourage existing blood donors to donate regularly and new blood donors to consider donating, particularly within the Black community – to help the lives of sickle cell patients and others who require blood transfusions and exchanges to maintain and save their life.
I am grateful for the Bonded by Blood organisations coming together to do something positive in the name of my son Richard. He had a bright future ahead of him. It is my hope his legacy will be that of his name encouraging people from the Black community to support each other by doing something so amazing such as giving blood.”
A full campaign video featuring mothers from the Bonded by Blood: A Mothers Story, will launch on this page and across social media in September.
Storm’s story
Jessica (Storm’s mother) shares her terrifying journey into motherhood with her happy and healthy 3-year old…
Storm received 17 blood transfusions; two on the night she was born. Storm was born just one day after the 24-week legal abortion limit, weighing just 1lb 4oz.
Jessica Elliott, 31, who lives in Lewisham, London with her husband Kevin, 36, still suffers flashbacks following the trauma of her daughter Storm’s birth. After suffering a devastating miscarriage at 21 weeks just a year earlier, she worried history would repeat itself when her waters broke on 25 March 2018, at 23 weeks.
Her little girl clung to life for three months in Evelina London Children’s Hospital – a specialist neonatal intensive care baby unit attached to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London – and is now a happy and healthy 3-year-old.
Daniel’s Story
Daniel’s mother Beverley said:
“In 1999 Daniel finally beat leukaemia and received a lifesaving bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor which allowed him to lead a full and active life for several years with his family and friends including becoming a graduate in Sports Physiotherapy at London Metropolitan University. However sadly October 2008 Daniel passed away to an unrelated illness in October 2008 aged 21.”
During the last 3-4 years of Daniel’s life, he had been diagnosed with Haemolytic Anaemia (abnormal breakdown of red blood cells) and became reliant on receiving 3-5 units of blood every week. The generosity of the (primarily) white British community, helped to preserve Daniel’s life, enabling him to continue his degree in Sports Physiotherapy at the London Metropolitan University in North London. Without this lifeline, Daniel’s life would have been cut much earlier.
Daniel like so many others who receive treatment for leukaemia and other blood conditions relied on regular blood transfusion to help maintain his health.
To register to donate blood and attend the Bonded by Blood: A Mothers Story blood donation sessions, individuals should call the priority booking line on 0300 303 2805. Alternatively CLICK HERE where people can visit and complete the pre-booking form.
Bonded by Blood donation sessions will take place at the below locations:
LONDON
- Sunday 26th September – 09:30am – 4:00pm –Harris Invictus Academy – Croydon, Surrey CR0 2TB
- Saturday 2nd October – 09:05am – 4:05pm – Resource for London Centre – 356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA
- Saturday 2nd October – 08:30am – 5:30pm – Westfield’s Shopping Centre – Unit 2096 Westfield Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, London W12 7GF
- Saturday 2nd October – 08:30am – 5:00pm- Westfield’s Stratford City -31 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1EH
- Saturday 9th October – 10:00am – 4:00pm – St Laurence Centre in Catford -37 Bromley Road, London SE6 2TS
- Sunday 10th October – 09:30am – 4:00pm – Chelsea FC – Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London SW6 1HS
- Sunday 10th October – 09.30am – 4.00pm – Lambeth Town Hall -1 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW
BRISTOL
- Sunday 3rd October – 10.15am – 2.40pm – Malcolm X Centre – 141 City Road, St Paul’s, Bristol BS2 8YH
BIRMINGHAM
- Sunday 10th October – 10.00am – 3.15pm – The Legacy Centre – 144 Potters lane, Birmingham B6 4UU
MANCHESTER
- Sunday 25th September – 08.35am – 4.05pm – Manchester Blood Donor Centre – Plymouth Grove, Manchester M13 9LL TBC